1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to vessels and, in particular, to routing vessels. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for generating a route for a vessel with multiple objectives.
2. Background
Vessels carry cargo, goods, passengers, and/or materials from one port to another port. Vessels may include, for example, tankers, bulk carriers, passenger vessels, container vessels, military vessels, and other suitable types of vessels.
When traveling from a start point to an end point, various factors may be taken into account in selecting a route for a commercial vessel. For example, a desired time of arrival, weather, wave patterns, fuel use, type of cargo being transported, and other factors may be taken into account.
In generating a route for a vessel, various route planning systems may be used. These route planning systems may take into account weather forecasts, vessel performance, and other factors in generating a route.
For example, in one system, routes may be planned by human operators. The expertise of human operators may be valuable, but differences in experience and limitations in analysis may not provide as desirable of a route to meet the objectives for a particular trip. Currently used planning systems for routing vessels may avoid undesirable weather conditions. These undesirable weather conditions may include, for example, without limitation, hurricanes, tropical storms, large waves, and other undesirable conditions. However, routing systems that use weather avoidance may result in undesired arrival times and excess fuel usage.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.